Razor blade changing mechanism



Oct. 6, 1964 L. A. STONE RAZOR BLADE CHANGING MECHANISM Filed Au 3, 1962 United States Patent 3,151,738 RAZQR BLADE CHANGING MECHANISM Louis A. Stone, New York, N.Y., assignor to Philip Morris Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Virginia Filed Aug. 3, 1962, Ser. No. 214,701 8 Claims. (Cl. 206-16) This invention relates to improvements in safety razor eq ipment and particularly to an improved blade changing mechanism and casing designed for cooperative use with a safety razor.

The invention is an improvement on the blade changer disclosed in the Patent No. 2,744,317 to Philip H. Borden, and is adapted for cooperative use with a safety razor and casing of the type disclosed in said patent. It concerns a magazine device, adapted to lit in a casing, which will strip a used razor blade from a razor blade supporting head and supply a new blade thereto.

Accordingly the object of the invention is to provide a new and novel blade changing mechanism for use with a safety razor. The mechanism has blade stripper means with an independently removable used blade cartridge and blade feeding means with an independently removable new blade cartridge. The mechanism is adapted to fit in a casing, which has a hand guard at the ejection side thereof. The independent cartridges are spaced apart for the insertion of an absorbent material between them, which may contain a medicated or perfumed substance, to inhibit moisture from transferring from one cartridge to the next. Either the used blade cartridge or the new blade cartridge may be removed independently without disturbing the other cartridge. The mechanism has a magazine housing, constructed from a single sheet of metal, that substantially covers and protects from moisture the open tops of the independent cartridges. The magazine housing has slots and grooves to guide the pick up studs of the blade supporting head of the safety razor.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects of the invention are accomplished and the manner of their accomplishment will readily be understood from the following specification upon reference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the magazine of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the independently removable new blade cartridge;

FIG. 2a is a perspective view of the spring and a stack of new blades for insertion in the new blade cartridge;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the unitary magazine housing with part of the side wall broken away to show the cartridge supports and positioners;

HG. 4 is a perspective view of the removable used blade cartridge with part of the side walls broken away to show a cartridge positioning stop;

FIG. 4a is a perspective view of the spring and a blade for insertion in the used blade cartridge;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a piece of felt material for the space between the independent cartridges;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the magazine housing taken on the plane 6-6 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the new blade cartridge;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the used blade cartridge;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the magazine of FIG. 1;

P16. 16 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the magazine positioned in a casing;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a preferred form of safety razor for which the magazine is adapted; and

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the razor being positioned in the casing for storage.

Referring now to the drawings it will be seen that the present invention constitutes novel improvements upon the inventions disclosed in the above mentioned patent and that the present invention embodies a magazine 1, with blade stripping and feeding means adapted for insertion in a casing 2 (FIG. 10) and to be used with a blade supporting member or razor 3 (FIG. 11). The casing 2 is provided with means for cooperating with the razor 3 to open the razor cover members so that the magazine 1 may strip the used blade from and feed a new blade to said razor 3. The construction of the razor 3 and its cooperative operation with casing 2 are as fully described in the above mentioned patent. The materials may vary but normally the casing 2 will be of plastic and the magazine parts of metal.

The magazine 1 includes a housing 5, an independently removable new blade cartridge 6, an independently removable used blade cartridge 7, and an absorbent member 8, which may be medicated or perfumed, to be placed between said cartridges to inhibit moisture transfer between them and particularly to restrict moisture from the new blades. The new blade cartridge 6 has a spring 9 to urge the new blades 1! toward the top wall 11 of the magazine housing 5 so that the blades may be in position to be picked up by the studs 12 of the razor 3. The used blade cartridge 7 has a spring 13 to urge used blades upwardly toward the top wall 11 of the magazine housing 5.

The magazine housing 5, which may be constructed from a single sheet of metal, includes the top wall 11, two vertical sides 16, and horizontal casing guide fingers 17, and vertical casing stop fingers 18 to position the magazine 1 in the casing 2. It also includes bottom flanges 15 for supporting the cartridges. The cartridge supports 19 are perpendicular to and at the bottom of side walls 16 and have cartridge positioning latches in the form of tabs 20 struck upwardly to engage in openings 21 and 22 of the cartridges 6 and 7 respectively and thereby to serve as spring latches to hold them releasably in place in the magazine housing 5. The top wall 11 has an upper portion or top section 3% offset from a lower portion 31 by a downwardly sloping intermediate portion 32. The portion 31 may be slightly inclined and merge into a horizontal portion 34. The top member 11 also has slots 35 adapted to form passageways for the pick-up studs 12 of the razor as it moves over the top 11 of magazine 1. Connecting transverse sections 36 are depressed as shown particularly in FIG. 6 to permit thereby the free passage of the razor studs 12. Top section 31 also has upwardly bent fingers 37 at the forward edge adapted to engage under and strip a used blade from the razor nead. Also downwardly bent blade restraining tabs 33 are preferably formed in the top section 39.

The independent used blade cartridge 7 includes two side walls 4-5, an inner wall 46 and outer wall 47 all connected to bottom plate 43. The bottom plate 48 has the cartridge positioning apertures 22 heretofore noted for engagement with cartridge positioner latches 20 in the bottom flanges of the magazine housing. The outside wall 47 has inwardly bent guide tabs 59 to direct the used blades when they enter cartridge 7 and to restrain the blades within the cartridge against spring 13. The wall also has a slot 51 to receive the tongue 13a on spring 13 and position the spring. The inside wall 46 has upstanding cartridge stop lugs 52 which contact the downwardly sloping portion 32 of the magazine top wall to limit the movement of cartridge 7 into magazine housing 5.

The independent new blade cartridge 6 includes side walls with inwardly projecting V-shaped ribs 61 adapted to engage notches 19a in the blades. The posi- Patented Get. 6, 1964 tion of the blades is also maintained by the auxiliary ribs 62 adapted to engage the beveled corners of the blades. The bottom plate section has the apertures 21 heretofore noted each adapted to receive a latch 29 formed on the bottom flanges of the magazine housing and releasably secure the cartridge in the magazine housing. The bottom plate also has an aperture 63 adapted to receive a spring pressed locking tab in the main casing releasably to secure the magazine therein.

The main casing 2 which preferably is of plastic material is constructed in general as disclosed in the above mentioned Patent No. 2,744,317, particularly as shown in FIGS. 9 to 15 thereof, and accordingly has suitable grooves and cams therein and a longitudinally extending slot in the front wall for guiding the razor head and opening and closing the cover flaps 4 of the razor. In the present casing, however, the top wall 69 has an extension 7b to facilitate and ensure closing of the razor cover flaps before it reaches the exit opening 71 and the bottom wall 72 has an extension 73 inclined outwardly and downwardly in FIG. to permit free exit of the razor head but serve as a guard against contact of the razor head with a hand of the user.

The magazine 1 is assembled by inserting the new blade cartridge 6, loaded with new blades it into the magazine housing 5 by moving it in the direction of arrow 8% of FIG. 2 into the housing as arranged in FIG. 3, the cartridge being releasably held therein by engagement in holes 21 of the corresponding flexible latches 28 on flanges 19. Similarly the used blade cartridge 7 is inserted in the direction of arrow 81 of FIG. 4 into the opposite end of the magazine housing 5, and is similarly releasably locked in position by engagement of the corresponding latches 2% in the openings 22. Before insertion of both cartridges the absorbent felt washer 8 is inserted to occupy a position between the two cartridges. The guide elements 17 and stop elements 18 function similarly to the elements 56 and 57 respectively shown in the magazine of FIG. 16 of the aforementioned Patent No. 2,744,317.

The new blade cartridge 6 may be removed independently from the magazine housing 5, reloaded with new blades and reinserted. The used blade cartridge 7 may likewise be removed independently from the magazine housing 5 and emptied of its supply of used blades and reinserted without disturbing the new blade cartridge 6.

As heretofore mentioned the completed magazine assembly illustrated in FIG. 1 may be employed directly for automatically changing blades without insertion in a casing. In general it requires passing a razor head of a type adapted to hold blades on studs such as those indicated at 12 in FIG. 11, across the top of the magazine, the razor cover or covers being removed or held in open position by suitable means and the studs 12 traveling through the slots 35 from the right end as the magazine appears in FIG. 1.

However, the magazine is particularly adapted for insertion'and use in connection with a casing and razor of the general character disclosed in the aforementioned Patent No. 2,744,317 and reference may be made thereto for a more detailed description of the operation of changing a blade. It may be noted here by Way of general description that with the magazine positioned in casing 2 as shown in FIG. 10 hereof the razor is passed through the casing in the direction of arrow 85, the covers 4 are cammed open, and studs 12 move through the respective slots 35 of the magazine. The tongues 37 strip off the used blade depositing it in cartridge 7 and the studs 12 in their continued travel pick up a blade from cartridge 6, the studs engaging in holes 19b of the top blade, following which the covers 4 are caused to close.

It should be noted that the magazine is fully covered over and the open tops of the cartridges separated from the razor head as it passes through a blade changing cycle except for the relatively narrow slots 35, and that there is an absorbent pad 8 separating the new blade cartridge 6 from the used blade cartridge 7, and furthermore that the studs 12 of the razor pass over the top edge of the pad. Accordingly the new blades are protected to a major extent from being contacted with moisture from a Wet razor and tendency to corrosion of the new blades is at least reduced to a minimum.

It should also be noted that the cartridges 6 and 7 are held in place by the latches 20 that fit into the apertures 21 and 22. The springs 9 and 13 in said cartridges 6 and '7 press against the top wall 11 of the magazine housing 5, either directly when the cartridges are empty, or through blades above the springs 9 and 13 when the cartridges are full, thereby urging the cartridges 6 and 7 against the bottom flanges 19, causing the latches 20 to enter into the apertures 21 and 22. There is a small clearance between the cartridges 6 and 7 and the top member 11 of the magazine housing 5 for vertical movement of said cartridges. The cartridges 6 and 7 may easily be removed by first pressing them up against the top wall 11, which depresses the springs 9 and 13, thereby moving the apertures 21 and 22 out of contact with latches 2d. The cartridges may then be removed from the open ends of the magazine housing 5 by movement in a direction opposite to that shown by arrows 8t and 81.

An additional feature of the invention is disclosed in FIGS. 11 and 12 whereby the razor may be clamped on the casing 2 when not in use. As indicated the handle 9t) is secured to the razor head 91 by means of a pin 92 extending through the forked end 93 of the handle and an intervening lug 94 secured to the head M. The lobes of the forked end 93 have a portion of increased radius forming earns 95. During a blade changing operation the handle normally would be in a position perpendicular to the front wall of the casing or at a small angle to the perpendicular as shown in full lines in FIG. 12. When, however, the razor is not in use it may be inserted in the casing and the handle rotated to a position substantially parallel to the front of easing 2 as shown in broken lines at In the latter position the cams 95 engage against the front wall of the casing and maintain the razor clamped thereon.

It should be understood that various changes may be made in the above described devices and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, and it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A razor blade magazine comprising, a housing with a top wall and opposed side walls and open at each end between the side walls, a pair of blade cartridges each independently insertable at an open end of the housing and being readily removable independently therefrom, means for releasably securing the respective cartridges in said housing, and a member of moisture absorbent material positioned between said cartridges.

2. A razor blade magazine comprising, a housing having a top wall, a pair of side walls, cartridge supporting means at the bottom, and opposite open ends; a used blade cartridge, and a new blade cartridge, said cartridges being independently insertable and removable one at a first one of said open ends and the other at said other of said open ends, and spring latch means for releasably securing the cartridges in said housing.

3. A razor blade magazine for stripping blades from a blade supporting head and feeding a new blade to the head comprising, a housing having a top wall, a used blade chamber and a new blade chamber positioned in said housing side by side, said top wall having slots therein extending transversely of the cartridges for the passage of blade carrying studs therethrough, and a moisture absorbent member mounted in said housing between said chambers.

4. A razor blade magazine for stripping a blade from a supporting head and feeding a new blade thereto com prising, a unitary U-shaped housing having a top wall and two side walls, a pair of independently removable cartridges positioned in said housing one of said cartridges being for used blades and the other for new blades, said cartridges being separated by a substantial space, and a moisture absorbent member in said space.

5. A razor blade magazine for stripping blades from a blade supporting head and feeding a new blade to the head comprising, a U-shaped housing having a top wall and two side walls and opposite open ends, said side walls having cartridge supporting flanges, a used blade cartridge, and a new blade cartridge removably positioned in said housing side by side on said supporting flanges, said cartridges being independently insertable and removable at said opposite open ends respectively, said top wall having slots therein extending transversely of the cartridges for the passage of blade carrying studs therethrough.

6. A razor blade magazine for stripping blades from a blade supporting head and feeding a new blade to the head comprising, a U-shaped housing having a top wall and two side walls said side walls having cartridge supporting flanges, a used blade cartridge, and a new blade cartridge removably positioned in said housing side by side on said supporting flanges, and means for releasably securing the cartridges in the housing, said top wall having narrow slots therein extending transversely of the cartridges for the passage of blade carrying studs therethrough said slots being only slightly wider than the studs and said top wall otherwise covering substantially both of said cartridges.

7. A razor blade magazine for stripping blades from a blade supporting head and feeding a new blade to the head comprising a U-shaped housing having a top wall and two side walls said side walls having cartridge supporting flanges, an open top used blade cartridge, and an open top new blade cartridge removably positoned in said housing side by side on said supporting flanges, latch means associated with said flanges and the bottoms of the respective cartridges for releasably securing the cartridges in the housing, said top wall having narrow slots therein extending transversely of the cartridges for the passage of blade carrying studs therethrough said slots being only slightly wider than the studs and said top wall otherwise covering substantially both of said cartridges, and a moisture absorbent member positioned in said housing between said cartridges.

8. A razor blade changing mechanism comprising, a main casing having an open razor head entrance end and an open razor head exit end, a back wall, and a slotted front wall permitting passage of the razor handle, a blade changer magazine removably secured in said casing, and said back wall having an extension at the casing exit end forwardly inclined away from the plane of the back wall to direct correspondingly the razor head out of and away from the casing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,439,243 Dalkowitz Apr. 6, 1948 2,630,625 Kleinmann et a1 Mar. 10, 1953 2,653,379 Austin Sept. 29, 1953 2,718,963 Austin Sept. 27, 1955 2,744,317 Borden May 8, 1956 

1. A RAZOR BLADE MAGAZINE COMPRISING, A HOUSING WITH A TOP WALL AND OPPOSED SIDE WALLS AND OPEN AT EACH END BETWEEN THE SIDE WALLS, A PAIR OF BLADE CARTRIDGES EACH INDEPENDENTLY INSERTABLE AT AN OPEN END OF THE HOUSING AND BEING READILY REMOVABLE INDEPENDENTLY THEREFROM, MEANS FOR RELEASABLY SECURING THE RESPECTIVE CARTRIDGES IN SAID HOUSING, AND A MEMBER OF MOISTURE ABSORBENT MATERIAL POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID CARTRIDGES. 